briq student fellow Peter Andre has been awarded the Reinhard Selten Scholarship by the German Association for Experimental Economic Research (GfeW). Established in 2019, the scholarship provides financial support to junior researchers working in the field of experimental economics. In a competitive process, three project proposals were selected for funding in 2020.
Peter Andre’s project looks into “Redistributive Behavior When Circumstances Shape Choices.” The common distinction between fair inequality based on choices and unfair inequality based on circumstances neglects that choices and circumstances are inherently related: Choices typically depend strongly on circumstances. In an experiment with a large representative sample from the United States, the briq researcher studies how the effect of circumstances on choices influences redistributive behavior and positive fairness views. He explores and contrasts two important mechanisms: inferences about the role of circumstances and redistributive preferences.